Fuel Surcharges Nearly Double Cost Of International Airfare
Last week, a United Airlines flight from the US to Tokyo cost $400, plus $300 in fuel surcharges. Airlines say they're passing on higher fuel costs, but some see it as an excuse to jimmy a hidden fare hike. The Los Angeles Times writes, "You can argue forever about whether this is justified, but how they are doing it shows their worst nature," [Joesentme.com, a business traveler website] said, noting how, for instance, a surcharge is not eligible for a corporate discount." Companies love to stuff their operating costs into the fees, taxes and surcharges on your final bill. It means they get to advertise artificially low prices, lure deal hunters, then soak them later.
Fuel fees pump up airfares [Los Angeles Times] (Thanks to Nicole!)
(Photo: basictheory)
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Comments:
@jkaufman101:
Gasp! But if we did that for airfare, people'd want it for other things too - like phone services!!
Stop the madness!
@jkaufman101:
But if people saw the true cost of a service, they'd be able to make an educated assesment of how much something costs! Imagine the Anarchy!
That's no different than the practices by universities and colleges to extract extra funds above and beyond the tuition by charging various mandatory fees.
Or the ridiculous practice of resorts to charge a resort fee on top of the room rate... If everybody has to pay it, then why is it a separate charge?!
@rbb: except that state universities (usually the worst offenders w/r/t fees) are non-profit educational institutions, not for-profit corporations. State U doesn't pass it's costs on to students to keep shareholders happy, it passes costs on to keep the lights on and make up for the loss of federal dollars going towards education.
Jet fuel is a cost of doing business if you're an airline. I think things like this are pure silliness. If they are going to partially breakdown the fee like that, why not just break everything down, such as engine maintenance, flight attendants' uniforms, handsoap in the bathroom, fuses for lights - or they could just add it to the cost of the ticket like any normal person would do.
This really pisses me off. My wife and I can't take our yearly trip the UK because of the insane fees attached to a British Airways Airfare. Sure they advertise a graet airface at like $150 each way, but when you go through the booking process and get the final price the, there's another $300 in fuel surcharges, taxes and fees. Totally ridiculous. Charge a freaking flat fee. Why can't companies in general have their final prices include all taxes. It would do well to show how much things really cost.
@theutopian: They don't do it because they're trying to screw you.
Have you ever tried flying out of Canada? It might be a bit cheaper, overall.
Where are these awesome rates coming from? I got quoted $1100 per ticket round trip to go to Dublin. Though I suppose if you were only going one-way it could be $550.
This is why I was totally fuming when the Feds bailed these selfish, greedy bastards after 9/11. They bailed them out with my tax money and they still keep looking for ways to f me.
If companies can apply surcharges then I feel I should be able to apply surcredits.
@Jasmo: Oh, right. I forgot how important it was for the public institutions to collect mandatory fees from the students to support student groups they may philosophically disagree with. And we wouldn't want to force the universities to actually spend some of the multi million/billion dollar endowments on such basics as tuition itself...
Having flown United from Tokyo to San Francisco, I think I can say conclusively that no one who has ever done so would consider doing so again unless they were tricked into thinking the price was ridiculously low.
I have that same pic in my flickr pool....only on mine it says "if you son is wearing teal, there's no way he's getting any oxygen out of us!"
this reminds me of the bait and switch local gas stations do. They'd post a big sign saying they have such a price for unleaded then you go there and you see that you have to pay in cash to receive the advertised discount. I guess it doesn't take a heartless corporation to do a bait and switch. Your neighborhood petrol dealer has got your fix.
@rbb: Except, airlines are trying to lure you with the prices. That doesn't tend to be the case with universities.
The E.U. doesn't allow their carriers to unbundle fares. By law, airlines must show every tax, fee and surcharge in a single fare. It's time the U.S. Congress pass legislation to require American carriers to do the same!
Stop the shenanigans!